


how they reunited

by BlueWall (MsMrs)



Series: through the years [10]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, Good Friend Mike Wheeler, Good Parent Joyce Byers, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Post-Season/Series 01, Pre-Slash, Sharing a Bed, for now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23096938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsMrs/pseuds/BlueWall
Summary: It is Will's first night home after his release from the hospital. Obviously, his best friend is there to help him get through it.
Relationships: Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Series: through the years [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1008912
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	how they reunited

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I was just feeling cute, so I wrote some pre-slash Byler cuddles for this series.  
> I haven't seen a fic yet that tackles the injuries that Will probably sustained from Hopper giving him CPR.

Everything hurt. His mom drove carefully, ten or more miles under the speed limit, and especially on the path that led to their house she made every attempt to keep the car from rocking too much. But in the end, Will did feel every single bump like a knife to the chest. Obviously he couldn‘t stay at the hospital forever, but when the doctor told him „You‘re going to experience a bit of pain for two or three weeks.“ he really thought he‘d already been through the worst parts of it.

His mom parked her car as close to the house as she could, and helping Will get out, she said „I‘ll have dinner ready in no time. But first we‘re going to make you nice and comfortable on the couch.“

Will groaned, both from pain when he slung his arm around her to walk, and from the prospect of having to lie down again. „As long as I can sit. I‘ve been lying in bed for a week, and I‘m sick of it.“

„That‘s okay, honey.“ she said. „But the doctor said you should rest. Alright, one step after the other.“

The porch steps seemed like an insuperable obstacle, but with a little help, Will managed. Mom didn‘t have to search for the key, as Jonathan opened the door for them. „Finally.“ he said. „You were due an hour ago.“

„Paperwork.“ their mom sighed. „And I had to drive carefully.“

„Right... right...“ Jonathan said a bit uncomfortably.

Will didn‘t say a thing, but he thought it was a bit silly that neither of them wanted to talk about it. Yes, he had a few broken ribs. Yes, his sternum was pretty much detached from his ribs, and it hurt like _hell_. But that wasn‘t a secret. No need to get so nervous about it.

Jonathan made room for them to get inside, and he did so whispering something to their mother. Will only picked up „...couldn‘t just send him home...your choice...“

„No, don‘t worry about it. It‘s okay if he stays for dinner. Where-“

„Will!“

„M-Mike?“ Will wanted to jump, to cheer, when his best friend came from the kitchen to the living room, the biggest grin Will had ever seen on anyone spread across his pale face. Will did a step towards him, but faltered under the pain of sudden movement.

„You two had better sit down.“ mom said. „We can have dinner in the living room if you want. Careful now, sweetie.“ She helped Will to the couch, where he sat down as gently as he could.

„When did you get here?“ he asked Mike once they were alone. Will decided to ignore the hushed voices from the kitchen; It was clear that Jonathan wasn‘t too happy about Mike being here.

„About two hours ago.“ Mike shrugged. „It‘s been... awkward...“

„What, being alone with Jonathan?“ Will chuckled, but his laugh turned into a cough, and then into stabbing pain. He buckled.

„Will!“ Mike exclaimed. He took Will by the shoulders. „Are you still in pain?“

„It‘s hell...“ Will whined. „I didn‘t know CPR hurts people so much, I mean-“ He realized his mistake too late. Mike had no idea. No one had told him how narrowly exactly Will had dodged death.

„CPR?“ Mike whispered. „They had to give you CPR?“

„It was... it was Chief Hopper.“ Will admitted. „Don‘t look at me like that. He saved my life.“

Mike had his brows furrowed, and he was wearing a mask of both relief and anger. „Remind me to thank him. And to make him apologize.“

„Mike...“

„I‘m serious, I‘m gonna make him apologize if you want me to.“

„I‘m going to be fine, Mike.“ Will hushed. He carefully leaned back, and that made things a little better. His back wasn‘t used to sitting anymore, and right now he didn‘t think he would ever want to lie down again; Especially since he was sure he wouldn‘t be able to get back up without help.

„You know...“ Mike said, finally smiling again. „I brought my sleeping bag. Jonathan said I wouldn‘t get to stay overnight, but maybe I could.“

Will‘s eyes shot open. „Please.“ he said, knowing how pathetic that sounded. „Please stay.“

„I already set my stuff up in your room. Without your brother knowing.“

„Obviously.“ Will had to laugh again, and once more this caused him pain. He hated needles _so_ much, but right now he would have given about anything to be back on his IV drip.

To Will‘s relief, it was dinnertime, and that meant he would get two of these painkilling pills the doctor had left his mom with. It took a few minutes, during which swallowing his food was a next-to-impossible task, and then the pain let off a little, allowing him to relax.

„So...“ mom started over dinner „...Jonathan tells me someone was thinking about staying the night?“

Mike wanted to say something, but Will was quicker. „Please, mom.“ he pleaded again. „I‘ve been lying down all week! I don‘t think I‘ll be able to sleep tonight! A-And I...“ The truth was, Will didn‘t want to be alone. Not at night. Not in his room, or anywhere in this house. He couldn‘t say it, though. His family had already worried enough.

„I still want you to try.“ mom said. „Lights out at ten, and no playing games all night. Even if you can‘t sleep, you‘ve got to rest.“

„So I can-“ Mike said.

„Of course you can stay, sweetie. Just remember to call home and let your parents know where you are. In the light of everything that happened...“

And so that was settled, and Will felt immediately better. Until now, he had been dreading the long dark hours alone in his room. Because he would have stayed alone. Mom and Jonathan both had things to do. Work... school... and it would be selfish of Will to keep them up at night.

While Mike called his parents, Will decided to get changed. Which he knew would prove to be a challenge. He got out of his jeans just fine, as he just had to loosen the belt and let them drop to his ankles. But getting the pajama pants on, that was a different story. Will could not bend over very well, so he decided to throw them on the floor and try to get in from a sitting position. But even so, trying to reach for them caused him so much pain that he eventually gave up.

„Mom?“ Will called meekly, because he had no other choice. „M-Mom?“

„Coming. Coming, sweetie.“ she said hastily out in the hall. It hadn‘t been Will‘s intention to upset her, yet there she stood in the door, with a look of panic on her face. This faded, though, when she understood the situation. „Oh, sweetie, I‘m so sorry. We should‘ve put you in your pajamas at the hospital right away. Alright, come here.“ She helped him stand up.

„I didn‘t think it‘d get that bad.“

„I got you sweetie.“ Once Will was standing, his mom pulled his pants up for him. „We‘re not getting you out of that shirt tonight, huh?“

„No.“ Will said. „It‘s gonna be okay.“

„Yes.“ mom said with absolute certainty. „It‘s going to be okay. You‘re back. You‘re safe.“ All teary-eyed, she gave him a kiss on each cheek and on the nose, and though giggling hurt a bit, Will allowed himself this. „Do you need anything else?“

„No, I‘m fine otherwise.“ Will just hoped she wouldn‘t notice the goosebumps. Otherwise she might try to get a sweater on him, and that would end with more sharp pain. He quickly rubbed at his arms to get himself a little more warmed up, though that did little to help the cold he was feeling on the inside.

But his mom was tired, and she really didn‘t notice much of anything anymore. Will wasn‘t tired, and neither was Mike. Still, they had made the promise to try; True to their word, at ten o‘clock sharp, Mike switched off the lights. By that time, Will was sitting upright in bed, a bunch of pillows piled at his back.

It wasn‘t the torture he had expected - just boring, overall. When you have spent a week in a hospital bed, exhausted and dehydrated, morphine coursing through your veins, you sleep in fits. During the night, during the day, whenever you just happen to fall asleep. Will thought he had slept about sixteen hours a day during that time, and he had never felt quite as awake as he was feeling now.

Worse was the cold, though. The heater was on, and still he had the blanket pulled up to his nose, shivering. „Will?“ Mike whispered. „You still up.“

„Yeah. I‘m not going to sleep, I think.“

„Me neither.“ There was some rustling, probably Mike sitting up again. „Are you in pain?“

„Only if I move.“ Will said.

„Are you comfortable? I could get you more pillows from the living room, or just a glass of water. Or I could make some tea if you want, or-“

While Will appreciated Mike‘s enthusiasm, neither of that was what he wanted right now. „I‘m a bit cold.“ he admitted. „A-And I can‘t put on a sweater, because, y‘know...“

„Oh...“ Mike said. „Okay, well... I got an idea. Just stay put, okay?“

He didn‘t have to say that again. Will really didn‘t want to move too much, so just watched curiously as faint light seeped in through his opening bedroom door. Mike left it open. Less than a minute later, he was back. „What‘s that?“ Will asked, pointing at the piece of cloth Mike had in his hands. It was too dark to tell what it was.

„Jonathan said you could have it. He said it‘s the thickest flannel he‘s got. Can you maybe scoot forwards a bit?“

„I guess.“ Will kept his upper body as straight as he could, only using his legs to drag himself a few inches away from the headboard.

But even so, the strain was just too much. Will just was not able to hold his arms in a way that allowed Mike to put Jonathan‘s shirt on him. „This won‘t do.“ Mike grumbled. „Maybe... maybe if you hold your arms out to the front, and I just... see?“

Eventually, Will was wearing the shirt the wrong way around, with the buttons in the back, and that was just fine with him. But Mike‘s hand brushed Will‘s. „Dude, you‘re _really_ cold.“

„I guess.“ Will said meekly. „I‘m going to be fine, Mike.“

„I‘m going to make you fine!“ Mike said, and it sounded so much like an actual threat that Will had to stifle laughter to avoid another stab to his abused ribs. „No, I‘m serious! Come on, move a little more.“

Will brought some more distance between himself and the headboard. And _oh..._ Mike was suddenly sitting right behind him, gently nudging at his shoulder to let himself fall back. And Mike was basically a human stove, the way his body gave off heat against Will‘s back. „Better?“ he asked.

„Better.“ Will answered. He struggled a bit to pull his covers back up, but it was well worth it. He really did feel warm then.

„We can talk if you want.“ Mike said. „Or we can try to sleep.“

Will grinned into the darkness. „How about you talk and I listen?“ But listening was only part of what he wanted. Mike‘s chest vibrated against Will‘s back with every word he spoke, and that was just such a soothing sensation. „Back at the hospital... I know you couldn‘t speak freely. Maybe you want to fill me in on what happened while I was gone?“

„I can do that.“

And Will listened. For the first few minutes at least. And he couldn‘t even bring himself to feel guilty when he stopped paying attention to the words, and just focused on how Mike‘s palms were resting on his belly. It gave him hope. Stupid, childish hope, but hope nonetheless.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think.


End file.
